PEN PALS

HOLLY MARIE MOORE

HMOORE @ MANKATOFREEPRESS.COM

NORTH MANKATO — After writing since January, Bridges Community School fourth grader Illy Anil has been looking forward to meeting her senior pen pal, Sherry Landrum.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Anil said. “Just (reading) all the letters really built up some anticipation.”

Landrum also said she was so excited she couldn’t sleep the night before.

The moment finally came Thursday, when Anil, Landrum and dozens of other pen pal pairs united at an annual meet-and-greet put on by Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota’s Active Aging Programs and Bridges teachers.

For over 10 years, Bridges and the Active Aging Programs have partnered to team up fourth graders with volunteer senior pen pals from local care facilities for an activity that provides benefits to both age groups.

Landrum, who said this was her first year volunteering, was worried at first that she wouldn’t connect with Anil.

“It’s been a long time since I was 10 years old,” she said.

But the pair ended up having a lot

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Bridges Community School fourth grader Amelia Lanes (left) meets her volunteer senior pen pal, Shirley Wold.

Provided

After writing since January, Bridges Community School fourth grader Illy Anil (left) has been looking forward to meeting her senior pen pal, Sherry Landrum. The two finally met Thursday.

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in common.

A ni l le a r ned t hat Landrum lived in the Philippines for a couple of years and shared her own travel adventures.

“She’s very well-centered. She knows what she wants in life,” Landrum said.

Bridges four th grade teacher Jeremy Olson said the activity not only helps the students improve their writing and reading skills but also helps them connect with an older generation.

“We like to try to incorporate things in the community in their learning,” he said about Bridges. “So that’s one aspect of it. But also just developing relationships with — I mean there’s such a huge gap in age — older people, healthy relationships, and hopefully gaining respect. Respect for our elders is another thing I hope they get out of it, too.”

Olson said the activity is popular among the students.

“They get so excited when they get their pen pal letter back. It is also usually one of those popular highlights when I always ask them at the end of the year, ‘What did you really love? You can pick one thing.’ A lot of them do pick pen pals.”

Forty-five students participated in the program this year, the most since the program began.

Mary Cassem, Act ive Aging Programs coordinator, said the activity also helps keep the seniors’ minds sharp.

“It’s also having that intergenerational connection. Staying in touch with somebody that has a different history than they do. Their traditions, their activities that they did when they were in fourth grade are completely different than what these kids do,” she said.